Lead bullets

Being only a few weeks into my reloading career, I have become very comfortable loading plated bullets in my G39 so far, no malfuctions at all. So I decided to buy a lonewolf barrel and see how it works out with lead bullets. I am wanting to know if it is common for a lead bullet to require an OAL shorter than is listed in a loading manual(Lyman #49). The bullet that I am currently working with is a MBC IDP #4-XD(200 gr rnfp). With my factory barrel, my lead rounds would clunk In and fall out freely without a problem at 1.08, but with my lone wolf barrel I am having to reduce them to about 1.07.

I'm no expert, hopefully others will chime in, but I believe the difference you describe between the glock factory barrel and the LW is not related to COL. The LW barrel is likely fully supported, and "tighter" than the Glock barrel.

But I could be wrong. When you insert a loaded round as you describe above, and remove it, do you see lines from the rifling in the bullet?

Being only a few weeks into my reloading career, I have become very comfortable loading plated bullets in my G39 so far, no malfuctions at all. So I decided to buy a lonewolf barrel and see how it works out with lead bullets. I am wanting to know if it is common for a lead bullet to require an OAL shorter than is listed in a loading manual(Lyman #49). The bullet that I am currently working with is a MBC IDP #4-XD(200 gr rnfp). With my factory barrel, my lead rounds would clunk In and fall out freely without a problem at 1.08, but with my lone wolf barrel I am having to reduce them to about 1.07.

Leade is the distance between the end of the chamber and the beginning of the rifling. This varies from barrel to barrel and is the primary reason for suggesting people "work up" loads, rather than taking the maximum listed load and assuming it will operate in a normal pressure range.

Automatic pistol cartridges headspace on the case mouth. However, the bullet ogive can encounter the rifling before the case is fully seated in some barrels (chambers). That's why the bullet needs to be set-back for some guns and not others.

Glocks, in particular, have a very generous leade so the pistol will continue to operate when hot and dirty. Target barrels have no such requirement and, therefore, often have a shorter throat (leade) to enhance accuracy. These require a "shorter" round -- one where the bullet ogive is moved back to permit chambering.

Hope this makes sense and is helpful.

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That I could be wrong is an eventuality that has not escaped me. I just painted the pictures as I saw them. I do not know how to do anything else. (Saint Elmer, 1955)

Leade is the distance between the end of the chamber and the beginning of the rifling. This varies from barrel to barrel and is the primary reason for suggesting people "work up" loads, rather than taking the maximum listed load and assuming it will operate in a normal pressure range.

Automatic pistol cartridges headspace on the case mouth. However, the bullet ogive can encounter the rifling before the case is fully seated in some barrels (chambers). That's why the bullet needs to be set-back for some guns and not others.

Glocks, in particular, have a very generous leade so the pistol will continue to operate when hot and dirty. Target barrels have no such requirement and, therefore, often have a shorter throat (leade) to enhance accuracy. These require a "shorter" round -- one where the bullet ogive is moved back to permit chambering.

Hope this makes sense and is helpful.

That is the correct answer. I have the same issue with a new LWD 45 ACP barrel with my truncated cone lead bullet loads. Nothing wrong with the LWD barrel but I sent it back to LWD with a couple of dummy loads with my bullet and they fixed it (I guess they opened the throat increasing the freebore) but they had it back to me so fast that when I called a few days after sending it was already on the way back and there was no record of what they had done to fix it. Works perfectly.

Very common w/ LW bbls in any caliber. It further supports the OAL is very bullet & gun/bbl specific.

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"Given adequate penetration, a larger diameter bullet will have an edge in wounding effectiveness. It will damage a blood vessel the smaller projectile barely misses. The larger permanent cavity may lead to faster blood loss. Although such an edge clearly exists, its significance cannot be quantified".

I have KKM barrels in both my 19 and 34, both require a shorter OAL than the stock Glock ones. I have had no problems, but I also do not run my loads any ware near max. If you are loading near maximum you need to be care full, with small case capacity pressures with shorter OAL can rise rapidly. Be cautious and watch for signs of excess pressure, it is advisable to back off on the powder charge by 10% and work back up. Shoot safe and you will shoot longer.